Odd Couple
by hoshi-ni-onegai
Summary: Are fifteen years enough to bury old emotions? Kaoru finds out when she runs into Kenshin at a dance, while she's there with someone else. AU KxK One-Shot


Author Notes: I really would like to work on 'System Compatibility' but I'm waiting until I have a little more free time. There is a lot I need to work out it that one and it's still a bit of a jumble in my head. So instead, here is another one-shot. I can hear your eye rolling from here. Haha. Just humor me. Also, this is a genre that is a departure from my usual ones. Also, these characters are older than how I usually write them -especially Kaoru. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The _Rurouni Kenshin_ world and all characters depicted are a creation of mangaka, Watsuki Nobuhiro.

**Odd Couple**

By Hoshi-ni-Onegai

Another secret. I should be getting used to these, but they hit me in the heart each time. Sure, some were harmless, but it's like he didn't care anymore.

I set aside the laundry I had been sifting through and took the incriminating piece of paper. Maybe I shouldn't have sifted through his pockets, but he had the tendency of leaving things in his there. Last week I found a twenty dollar bill. I couldn't be accused of being nosy if I was doing the duty of a doting laundry washer, right?

Paper in hand, I made my way toward the bedrooms. I breached the doorway and saw him sitting on the bed with the headboard to his back. Seeing me come in he raised a brow. For months now, he maintained a mildly annoyed look whenever he saw me. Maybe it was a consequence after so many years, but my love remained unconditional.

I waved the paper in my hand and tried to keep a serious look on my face. "Do you care to explain this?"

His eyes widened and he clambered off the bed. He was across the room and grabbing the paper out of my hand in no time. "Where do you find this?" His tone was angry, like I was the one that lied. "Were you going through my stuff again?"

Okay, so maybe he was angry because I breached some sort of privacy law. "Again? If you want to keep secrets from me, you're going to have to do better than leaving evidence in your jean pockets you put out for wash."

He cursed under his breath, but with my pointed look he sighed. "Look, I can explain."

"What? That you're keeping things from me? Again?" I hoped my voice sounded indignant.

"Before you take it personally, my aim wasn't to hurt you." He was imploring now.

"Too late." I huffed and propped a hand on my waist, an old habit of mine. "We're going."

"Mom!" He stomped his foot in tantrum, a remnant of his childhood.

"Kenji!" I whined back in mock. Rolling my eyes I pointed to the paper in his hand. "You were close this time. The dance is this weekend."

I walked away toward the kitchen but he was right at my heels. "Everyone will think I'm a loser if I go with my mom."

Coming upon the fridge I laughed and shook my head. "It's an odd couples' ball, everyone is going with their parents."

"Yeah, but no one else has a mom that-" He cut his words off, as if he revealed too much.

I frowned. "What was the end of that sentence?"

He fidgeted in place. Seeing the look on my face he relented. That was the thing about being a single parent, we knew each other's moods perfectly. Unfortunately, Kenji took after me and was the only person in the world that was as stubborn as I was. But that also meant he knew that I wouldn't give in.

"The guys at school make comments about you."

"Guys from school?" I don't really know where he was going with this.

"When you come to my kendo tournaments or when you pick me up from school. They see you and they say stuff." He seemed uncomfortable as he pulled himself onto a kitchen stool.

Tossing him a bottle of water I leaned against the counter with my own. "What? Am not cool enough? Sorry I'm so lame, but all moms are lame Kenji."

He kept silent and I decided to spare him. I was already winning the battle of going to the odd couple's dance. This was my daily battle with my fourteen year old son. He would be starting high school next year, and I knew things would be changing. Everyone had warned me that adolescence was a difficult time, especially with boys. It was as if they had rebellion written into their DNA. I now reminisce back to the times when I would read him a story before bedtime and he would say how much he loved me.

Instead, now I was stuck with an angst ridden teenager who said little more than he needed to. According to friends with older kids, he would grow out of this phase eventually. Regardless, it was lonely facing him alone. I raised Kenji alone all of his life. I always believed it was me and him against the world, but I was coming to the realization that it was me against a teenager. So it was my job to keep us together.

Days later I check myself in the mirror. I glanced at my best friend Misao lounging on my bed and presented myself to her. "How do I look?"

"Hot." She grinned and pounced off the bed and came around my back to help zip my dress up. "I don't know why you're so nervous."

I laughed. "I have no idea either. I changed my date's diaper for god sakes."

"Have fun tonight." She patted my shoulder, "This is the first date you've had in fifteen years. I think you deserve a good time."

"That makes me sound pathetic Misao." I frowned at my reflection.

Maybe the dress was too short, I wondered if I should change. I kept my hair loose, but Misao had attacked me with a curly iron earlier and played with it until the ends of my hair was tousled and bouncy. I had to give it to the girl, she knew how to give someone supermodel hair. I decided to keep the makeup minimal and I wore only a simple silver pendant necklace as my only jewelry. The burgundy dress wasn't indecently short, but it did fall about two inches above my knee. Should mothers of teenage sons show their knees?

It wasn't strapless -a stipulation from Kenji when I asked him what I should wear. It was a simple dress the color of wine, with cap sleeves, sweetheart neckline, and a swingy skirt. I had considered wearing heels, but I knew towering over Kenji wasn't going to win me any favors.

"Maybe you'll meet a young divorcee father to sweep you off your feet tonight." Misao said as she tugged me toward the living room.

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah right."

Stopping just shy of the couch she turned and frowned at me. "I know you're a mother first and a woman second, but you don't have to join a convent to be a good mother to Kenji."

"Don't start with me Misao." I gave her a pointed look as I heard Kenji's door open.

"Ready mom?" He called out.

I turned just in time to see him come into the living room and I felt my voice hitch. I was transported back to my past. Seeing Kenji grow up before my eyes, I wasn't blind to the fact that he looked so much like his father but this was different. He barely had control of his mop of red hair that I love so much. Despite my constant nagging, he was unknowingly following the way of his father by keeping his hair on the longer side. He was wearing a dark suit with a tie, but opted out of the dress shoes and wore his chucks instead. He was a carbon copy of my own date to senior prom. The only difference was that he had blue eyes like mine instead of amethyst ones that bore into my soul.

I shook the image out of my mind. I grinned and elbowed jokingly to Misao. "Check out my son Misao. Isn't he just a lady killer?"

Misao laughed and shook her head. "I'll leave you kids to have fun tonight."

She left out the door and I grabbed my keys from by the door. "We should get going too."

"Wait." He sheepishly walked up to me as I picked up my clutch and stuffed my cell phone in it. "I got you this."

From behind his back he pulled out a clear plastic box with a gardenia corsage. I couldn't help beaming at the gift. I moved everything to my right hand and reached out with my left. Instead of taking the box, I gestured to my wrist. He groaned a bit but took the corsage out carefully from its box and put it on my wrist.

Once it was settled on my arm, I turned my wrist every which way to admire it. I glanced up at him and seeing the embarrassment on his face I couldn't help tugging him into a hug. "Thank you Kenji."

He gave a few choice grumbles and pulled out of my arms after giving me a moment. I lived for instances like these now, the moments when I caught a small glimpse of the little boy. Maybe I didn't screw up in raising him too much.

After pulling into the middle school parking lot and getting out of the car, I could see that Kenji was practically dragging his feet. "Don't act excited or anything."

He shot me a glare, "I said I didn't want to come."

"Oh come on, let your mother have fun now and then." I wrapped an arm around his shoulder as we walked up to the gymnasium doors where the dance was being held.

He squirmed out of my hold as his fellow schoolmates came into view. "Who says you can't have fun? I'm just wondering why you need to have it at my school."

"Think of this as practice for high school when you have to bring a date. I won't yell at you if you step on my feet while we dance." I chided him.

"We are not dancing." He mumbled and I giggled in response.

We walked over to the check in desk where a pretty young girl, probably the same age as my son, was greeting people. Seeing Kenji and I walk over she gave an exemplary hostess smile. "Welcome to the Odd Couples' Ball Kenji! I didn't know you were bringing your sister."

"Oh, I like you." I beamed at the girl and waved my hand. "Stop flattering an old woman, I'm his mother."

Before the girl could say anymore, Kenji spoke up in. "Did I need to do something to check in Ayame?"

"Nope, I just need to check you off my list." She promptly skimmed through the sheets in front of her, "Here you are. Kenji and Kaoru Kamiya."

From what I could tell of their dynamic, there didn't seem to be any romantic interest between the two. That was one of my missions tonight, according an over observant Misao, Kenji had a crush. I needed to catch a glimpse of this girl.

I decided becoming friendly with one of the girls here might help me later on so ignoring my son's protests, I talked to the check in girl. "So who did you come here with?"

"I came with my uncle. He should be in there already, I'm having him guard the punch bowl so no one tries to spike it." I could tell this girl had one of those personalities no one clashed with.

"I appreciate you trying to keep these boys on the straight and narrow." I grinned at her.

"Leave her alone mom." Kenji tugged at my arm and nodded back to the girl. "See you later Ayame."

I could tell he was trying to be cool, which I sometimes suspected him to be. Kenji was always calm and collected -a trait he most definitely did not get from me. In my youth, my friends called me an overemotional raccoon. Kenji was more like his father than he even knew.

I pushed that thought away and asked, "So is Ayame a friend of yours?"

"I guess so, I don't know her that well. She only moved here a month ago." When he came to the gymnasium doors he held it open for me to pass. I mentally patted myself on the back for instilling him with proper manners.

The gymnasium was transformed. The basketball hoops that usually hung down from the ceiling were pulled up and away, and instead streamers and balloons decorated the large room. The bleachers were collapsed against the wall to make way for all the round tables with chairs that formed the edge of the dance floor, which only held a few father and daughter pairs dancing. It seemed the boys of the school were too embarrassed to be seen with their mothers.

Kenji made his way through the crowd and I figured I would follow him. He seemed to be searching through the crowd. After a few minutes he turned back to me. "I'm going to see if I can find Yutaro or Yahiko."

Before he could disappear into the crowd I grabbed his arm. "You can't lose me that easily. How are you going to find me later?"

Seeing his tactic blow he sighed, "Get something to drink. I'll meet you by the drink table."

If nothing else, Kenji was a boy of his word. He wouldn't leave me stranded. Letting him go I weaved through crowd. I saw the occasional familiar face from PTA meetings or play dates from years past, but no one I would call a close friend. That was the thing with being a young mom, it was hard relating to the parents that were significantly older. Okay, so I wasn't exactly super young, but thirty-three with a fourteen year old was still comparably young.

The gym was dark except for the strobe lights and the reflected lights from the disco ball in the middle. I wasn't exactly sure what the theme of the dance was, but I'm sure Kenji would point to the mirrored ball before the end of the night and say it was from my youth. I barely remembered the 80s, let alone the disco era, but to Kenji old was old.

I finally found the edge of the drink table when I caught sight of neatly stacked plastic cups. Plucking one off the top and looked through the variety of beverages. I couldn't find anything I liked so I figured I would go for the aforementioned punch guarded by Ayame's uncle.

Making my way down the length of the table I caught sight of Kenji's red hair. He must have found his friends or gave up already. I walked up to his back that was turned away from me and tapped him on the shoulder, "I'm over here Ken-"

When he turned around my words and breath caught. My eyes visibly widened and stumbled back a step. I nearly fell but caught myself on the edge of the table. If mine was an overreaction, his was worse.

He looked like he had seen a ghost. "Kaoru?"

Hearing him whisper my name like a question, I gulped down the knot in my throat. "Kenshin." Oh God. It felt odd saying his name after all these years.

His brows furrowed and there was only confusion on his face. "What are you doing here?"

Glancing down at the cup in my hand, I pointed. "Getting punch."

He shook his head. "You know that's not what I mean."

"What are you doing here?" I attempted turning the question around on him.

He frowned, "I'm here with my niece."

"Ayame, she's your niece." I could feel the pieces of a weird puzzle connecting in my head. That's when I remembered Kenji would be looking for me. Ice water shot through my veins as panic set in. Dashing around the table I grabbed Kenshin's hand and towed him away from the table. "I need to talk to you. Now."

As I made a break for the closest door out to an abandoned hallway, I could feel the familiar warmth of his hand in mine. He didn't protest or resist as I dragged him away from the dance. Once we made it through the doors and they shut behind us, the blasting music was lulled to a thump.

After a long minute where I caught my breath I remembered to release his hand. I whirled around to face Kenshin and my past. His violet eyes looked me over, like he was looking for an injury. Probably looking for a head injury, I was acting like a mad woman.

"How's everything going Kaoru? How long has it been?" He was being friendly. Of course he was. He was meeting an old ex-girlfriend and he was trying to be amicable and avoid the inherent awkwardness.

"Fifteen years." I answered quickly, maybe too quickly.

He nodded smiling. "You look exactly the same."

His smile knocked the wind right out of me. How was it that after all these years I could still be dazzled by his smile?

"You haven't changed much either." I responded, but my attempt at a steady tone was defeated when my voice broke at the end.

He cocked his head to the side, "Are you okay Kaoru?"

There it was again, my name said with his voice. I was getting pulled back to my youth and I couldn't fight it any longer. "I have to tell you something."

"I'm assuming that's why you whisked me into a dark corner." He replied smirking.

This was like a band aid, I needed to rip it off quickly. "I'm here with my son."

His smile faltered for only a split second, but I caught it before his smile was back. "I didn't realize you were married. Congratulations."

"You don't understand." I shook my head, "I never got married."

"Oh." He seemed confused by my clarification. I couldn't blame him. I wasn't exactly doing this band aid technique very well.

I took in a steadying breath and braced myself against the wall. I still had the option of collecting my son and running, but this was inevitable. How long did I really think I could keep things in the dark? I was already surprised I could hide it for this long.

I looked Kenshin directly in his eyes, the least I could do was face him frankly. "My son's name is Kenji." His eyes widened a bit at the name, but I needed to press on before my nerves unraveled. "Your son's name is Kenji."

At the revelation, Kenshin stumbled backward. His shoulders and back slammed against the lockers lining the hallway. He didn't seem to notice as his mind seemed to be reeling at the news. He was speechless, but continued to look at me. His amethyst eyes were unrelenting as he searched my face for any semblance of a lie.

I was tempted to just bark out that it was all a joke. That he didn't have a child he knew nothing about, and he wasn't finding out the most devastating news of his life in an empty middle school hallway.

"Say something." I don't know why I said it. What did I expect him to say?

"What do you want me to say?" His voice was disbelieving. "I don't understand. We haven't been together in years. He must be-"

"Fourteen. Kenji is fourteen." I bit my lip, then continued. "I'm not asking you to step into his life all of a sudden. It's just that he's here and he might put two and two together."

His head whipped toward the doors that led to the dance. "He's here." He turned back to me, "How are you sure he would figure it out? How do I even know you're telling the truth that he's mine?"

The last question was like a slap in the face, but I took it and looked away from him. "He looks just like you. It would be like looking into a mirror for him."

Sliding against the lockers he crouched down onto the floor, his hand raking through his hair -another habit of his that Kenji inherited. "I don't understand. You're the one that broke up with me after you left for college. You never said a word about a baby."

"I couldn't." I had imagined this conversation playing out in my head thousands of times over the past fifteen years, but the reality of the situation was different. "You had your whole life ahead of you. You got a full ride for the accelerated medical school program. I didn't want to drag you down with this and I couldn't bear the thought of aborting him. So I decided to raise him on my own."

"I can't believe this." He titled his head up to look me square in the face. "I loved you more than anything Kaoru. I wouldn't have left you alone in this."

I couldn't handle his piercing eyes so I shut mine. "I know. You would have done what was noble and I couldn't let you make that sacrifice." And there it was: the fear that I had carried in my youth to make my ultimate decision. I had worried that Kenshin would do the right thing and try to make all of this work, but I didn't want to tie him down. I didn't want to wonder for the rest of my life if I had locked him into something that he otherwise would not have chosen.

"You never even gave me a chance." His statement was heavy and searing. "You were never going to tell me, were you? If hadn't been here tonight, I would have never have known I have a son out there in the world."

"I'm sorry." And I really was.

"What does he think about me? Did you say I abandoned you with a teen pregnancy or something?" His words were bitter and hurt.

"No, he knows that you don't know." I nervously fiddled with the pendant around my neck. "He doesn't particularly care for you, but he doesn't think you're a deadbeat or anything."

His eyes narrowed. "So you robbed me of my son's childhood and he hates me?"

"He doesn't hate you." I was ready for his accusations, because they were true and I've had to live them. "It's complicated. He's complicated, but he's a good kid." It was complicated, and my reality was coming apart at the seams.

I had met Kenshin in middle school when he moved to our city. Both his parents had died in a car crash and he was sent to live with his uncle. Kenshin had become fast friends with one of my best friends, Sano, and had come into our small circle of friends soon after. It was good two years later, when we were sophomores in high school, when we finally started dating. Kenshin had been my high school sweetheart and I looked back on our days together fondly. Even now, in my thirties and supposedly wiser, I knew we were in love. We were young, but it had been real.

When Kenshin and I finally had sex, he wanted to avoid the cliché of senior prom. Instead, it happened the summer before we left for college. I still remember the night and how nervous we were, but I didn't regret it. Not even knowing that Kenji would be a result of it.

We both had made promises of staying together even in college. We both got scholarships from our top schools and neither of us wanted to drag the other away from their dreams. So with promises of a long distance relationship, we went to our respective schools. Everything was fine between the two of us, we even had future plans where I could find a job after graduation nearer to Kenshin. But everything changed in the fall.

I started worrying after two missed periods and took a home pregnancy test. It came out positive and my world shifted on its axis. I couldn't tell Kenshin, not over the phone.

I eventually lost my sports scholarship because for the safety of the baby I couldn't practice kendo. I had made one really good friend, Misao, before everything started falling apart. I moved in with her and went to school until I had the baby. I couldn't burden her with a newborn in her apartment, so I quit school and started working although I did get the chance to finish school later on.

When my life had turned into something I barely recognized I made my decision not to tell Kenshin. I couldn't change his life just because I wanted to keep the baby. He was like me, he had no parents to support him. My father had died when I was a junior in high school.

I had also missed the opportunity to tell him. There were many times the first few months when I was tempted to call Kenshin. There were even a few times when I dialed, but at the sound of his voice picking up the phone I hung up. What was I supposed to say? 'Hey, how's it going? I just wanted to call telling you that we have a son.'

So months turned into years and the secrets in my heart remained that way. Until I forced my son to take me to a school dance and I ran into his father. Fate really was cruel.

"So what do you want me to do? Leave?" Kenshin's words cut through my memories.

"I'm not going to ask you to do that. And I'm not going to prevent you from seeing him." I pushed off the wall. "I just wanted you to be prepared when you saw him... And that he's not to blame for his mother's mistakes."

I made my way toward the door, but Kenshin stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. "If you could do it all over again, would you tell me?"

I had thought of this multiple times a day, every day since the day I gave birth to Kenji. So I gave Kenshin the truthful answer I came up with. "I don't know Kenshin."

I felt his pinky sweep against the silver chain of my necklace. I reached up automatically to hide the pendant. There were only a few things I hadn't exposed of my life, this was one thing I would still protect. I pulled away and ran back into the dance.

The pounding music thundered around me. It was loud enough that it allowed me to feel numb. During my short time ducked out of the dance, more kids with their parents came. It was surprisingly crowded.

I needed to find Kenji. I scrambled through throngs of people. When I breached the crowd I saw him with his mildly annoyed look as he waited by the drinks like he promised. When he caught sight of me I could see that he was about to protest but he stopped. A look of worry crossed his face.

I glanced around me and nothing was out of the ordinary. When I finally reached him I asked, "What's wrong Kenji?"

"You saw him." He stated. "I should have known when Ayame mentioned her uncle."

A distinct ringing started in my ears. I was deaf to the music, the only sound I could hear was the pumping of my rapid heart and the reality of what my son said.

"What?" My voice came out breathier than I wanted.

"I saw him a couple weeks ago." He raked his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Ayame is in kendo with us, and he came by to pick her up. I didn't meet the guy, but I saw him from a distance. I don't think he saw me. I knew immediately he was my father."

I could feel the trembling shake through my body. I wasn't prone to anxiety attacks, but I got the feeling I was experiencing my first one. I felt Kenji's protective arms grasp around my shoulders. He supported my weight while I felt like the floor was disappearing beneath my feet.

"You want to get out of here mom?" He leaned down a bit to whisper to me.

When had Kenji grown? Wasn't it just the other day when he was still sitting in the shopping cart and pointing out his favorite cereal? He was already as tall as I am and from his constant kendo practice he was strong. He was only fourteen but he was turning into a young man.

I shook my head and steadied myself. "No. How often can a woman dance with her handsome son?"

He frowned at the proposition, but I knew he wouldn't argue with me right now. Kenji led me to the dance floor where a slower song started playing through the speakers. He placed himself in front of me and looked troubled. I couldn't help laughing a bit at his expense.

"I told you this would be good practice." I took his right hand and placed it on my left waist while placing my left hand on the side of his right shoulder. I took his other hand grasped it in my own. "Now you lead."

He frowned, "Lead where?"

I grinned, "Fine. I'll lead. Just remember for next time." I took small steps and moved to the pace of the languid music. Kenji was so perceptive. Maybe it was because it had been just the two of us for so long, but he could read me all too well. "Thank you Kenji."

"For what?" He answered distractedly as he watched his feet.

He was going to play it off like he wasn't trying to take my mind away from it, because he was also bashful. I sighed and leaned my head against his shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me you saw him?"

We kept dancing, and I could feel him starting to take the lead. "Because I didn't want you to be like this."

I let out a strained laugh, "I'm the parent. You don't need to protect me Kenji."

"And I hate the guy." He added.

"You don't mean that." I shook my head, "None of this is his fault. It's mine. If anyone, you should hate me." I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes but I tried blinking them away. I never cried. Well, I never cried in front of Kenji and I wasn't going to start now. I pulled away from him and faced toward the front doors. "I need some air. You hang out with your friends, I'll be just outside."

"No, come on." He steered me out of the crowd and to a different set of doors. We found ourselves outside behind the gym. Coming to a bench I sat down and he plopped down next to me.

"You deserve better than this." I said as I leaned my head back looking at the starry night sky.

"And what? Miss out on learning how to dance from the prettiest girl here?" I could hear the smile in his voice.

I turned my head to look at him. "You're the best kid in the world. You know that right?"

He let out a chuckle. "Thanks mom. You're not so bad yourself."

"I'm sorry I'm ruining your dance." I was feeling less and less like the adult in the situation.

"If you recall correctly, I didn't even want to come." He pointed out.

The quiet of the night was interrupted when the gym doors opened from where we came. We turned at the noise. My back visibly stiffened when I saw who came through them. "Kenshin."

He walked toward where we sat. He seemed mesmerized by Kenji, but could I blame him?

I was even more surprised by Kenji's reaction. He stood up and blocked me from Kenshin's path and view. "Stay away from her." Kenji's voice was angrier than anything I had ever dealt with.

I'm not sure what I reacted to more: Kenji's tone or the pained look on Kenshin's face. I leapt up and grabbed Kenji's arm. "Kenji!" My mom voice was coming into full play.

"I don't know why you defend the guy mom." The way he spoke was unfamiliar, and soaked with rage.

Kenshin stopped only a few short feet away from us. He raised his hand as if in surrender. "Look, I don't know what your mother told you, but I didn't know you existed until a few minutes ago."

I stepped around Kenji and tried the push him back to stop the confrontation he seemed so hell bent on starting. God, this was a terrible first family image.

Kenji spit seething words out. "Oh don't worry. She's been a champion for you all these years. Kept on telling me how great of guy you are."

"Then why-" Kenshin attempted but he was cut off.

"Do I hate you? Because you left her alone you asshole!" My eyes widened at my son's use of words, but I was frozen. Despite my attempts of having Kenji love or at least respect the idea of his father, he had grown bitter as he aged. I never understood why, especially when I thought the anger needed to be aimed at me instead. "Oh yeah, I know the story. You knocked her up and didn't know about it. She went to college and cut off all ties."

"Kenji, don't be angry with him." I implored. I reached a soothing hand to stroke his cheek to get his attention. "He's done nothing wrong. I have."

Kenji looked down at me, the façade of anger cracking at addressing me. "You think I'm angry that I grew up without him? That's not it at all mom. You're everything I could ever ask for in a parent." He looked past and glared at his father. "I hate you for what you did to her."

I didn't know where Kenji's words were coming from.

"She left right? She just called you one day and said it was over. So you're blaming her now right?" Kenji steeled his eyes, "Then why didn't you come after her? There wasn't a single phone call or letter from you all these years! Not one! She hasn't changed her name. She's lived in the same city since college. She even has the same damn cell phone number!"

Those were my fears and reservations. It was true. After a tearful call to Kenshin, telling him I wanted to break up I hadn't heard from him since. I never went back home for the holidays or vacation, I had no real family to go back to there. But I knew in the back of my mind I was always waiting for him. I waited for him to come knock on my door one day and ask for a better explanation than me just saying that long distance was too difficult. I waited for him to call telling me that he couldn't live without me. I waited for a letter asking me to come back. But none of that ever happened. There was never a knock. There was never a call. There was never a letter.

It had been too quick and easy. Kenshin barely put up a fight when I broke up with him. In some sense, I thought he wanted it that way. I wondered if he had found another girl. But these were fears I had never told anyone -especially not Kenji.

"Enough." I gave Kenji a pointed look and he knew to back off. Even though I felt like I was fighting a losing battle with him sometimes, there were moments like these when my word was final. "We're going home."

I did my best attempt at ignoring Kenshin's face. I didn't want to see how he was reacting to Kenji's outburst. If I saw his reaction, I would know the fifteen year truth -something I didn't want to know.

Once inside, I worked my way through the busy room. I needed to get out of here. I should have listened to Kenji and not have come. Why did I have to go digging through his pockets for loose change anyways?

I careened through the dance floor and I was out the entrance doors before I even bothered looking back. I needed to get out of this twilight zone. This must be a terrible nightmare.

"Kenji, I can't believe you said that to-" My words caught when I turned and didn't see the boy in question following me. I was alone in the parking lot, everyone had already made their way in, and the dance was in full swing. I didn't have time for this. I needed to emotionally fall apart and dig into a tub of double chocolate ice cream I knew was in the freezer.

After a long minute I realized he wasn't coming. I headed back in, he was going to get a talking to. Where had I lost him? Outside by the bench? The dance floor?

I groaned when I came up to the sea of people. I was taller than the majority of the middle schoolers, but the rest of the parents towered over me. I stretched onto my tiptoes, but I didn't catch the ostentatious color of Kenji's hair. God. Why were we a pair of hobbits?

I squeezed my way through, getting elbowed one too many times in the search of my rebellious son. Somewhere near the dance floor I saw an opening like someone was clearing the way for a dance off. I mentally rolled my eyes. This was not a teen movie, I doubted there was a dance off. I heard gasps and subsequent yelling. I turned my head toward the commotion when I caught sight of Kenji's enraged face and a vision of his right fist punching into the face of a fellow student.

If I was having any trouble getting through the crowd before, I was having a worse time now. "Kenji!" I tried yelling over the blaring music, but he didn't hear me.

I saw his left fist wind back to strike again. I needed to get to him before this situation got even more out of hand. But the anger I saw in his face told me I would be too late. I pushed on to get to him, I was only a few feet away now.

That's when I saw Kenshin get behind Kenji and wrap a stern arm around his left shoulder, pulling him away from the other boy. Kenji snapped at Kenshin for stopping him, like a ravenous dog. "Let go of me!"

The boy who got hit was getting up and nursing his jaw. "You're in so much fucking trouble Kamiya!"

Kenji attention was pulled away from his father and he glared at the boy. "I'll punch that shit grin off your face!"

I finally broke through the crowd and stood in front of Kenji. Placing both palms on his chest I pushed him back away. "What is wrong with you tonight?"

"Get out of my way mom." He gritted through his teeth.

"No." My eyes locked with his. "Kenshin, don't let go. Get him out of here." After saying the words I realized I was not asking, but commanding.

I turned around to look at Kenji's victim. I narrowed his eyes at him. "Look, I don't know what you said or did, but it must have been enough to set him off."

"What! He's the one that hit me." He sputtered but I could tell he felt guilty about something.

I didn't have time for this; I turned away and stalked after my son. On my way to the door I was stopped momentarily by a girl with long dark hair. She looked nervous.

She made several failed attempts of saying something, so I finally saved her the trouble and spoke up. "Can I help you?"

Finding her voice she nodded and answered. "My name is Chizuru, I'm a friend of Kenji's."

I raised a brow. It seemed this girl may be a little more than a friend, if her blush was any indication. But I spared her and gestured her to continue in her explanation.

"I saw and heard what happened. It wasn't his fault."

I sighed, "His fist didn't just collide into that boy's face by accident. Kenji knew very well what he was doing." Seeing that she was about to give an explanation I patted her shoulder. "But I can appreciate a good friend coming to his defense."

"Miss Kamiya..."

I smirked and pointed to the door. "I need to get going so I can thoroughly yell at that idiot of a son." As I was turning away, I added. "And tell him to bring you by to the house someday so I can properly meet his girlfriend."

I barely caught the profuse red that seeped her face. I kept going. I weaved through the crowd again. I ignored the looks I was getting from some of the other mothers. There was no doubt that Kenji's actions were seen by many and talked about by all. But I could care less what they thought of me and my parenting skills. Kenji was a good kid.

I broke out into the cool night air where I could see Kenji and Kenshin off toward the parking lot. They were far enough away that I couldn't make out the words to Kenji's yelling. When I got close I could hear snippets of Kenji's rant. Something along the lines of Kenshin not being his father and now having any right to say anything. This was exactly what I expected -especially with how he grew up angry at Kenshin.

Fishing out the car remote from my clutch, I hit to button to unlock the doors. The sudden beep of the car surprised the two red heads. They simultaneously turned toward me and I was taken aback by how much they looked alike. Sure, I always knew Kenji took more after Kenshin than me, but it was another thing to see the reality directly in my face. Shaking the odd sensation off I brought out my sternest 'mom voice' and pointed toward the sedan.

"Get in the car Kenji." He went to protest but with my no-nonsense look he stormed away to the passenger side of the vehicle. Glancing over at Kenshin, I noticed an odd look on his face. I frowned, "What?"

"You're... such a mom." He sounded more dumbfounded than anything.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, if the shoe fits." I walked over toward the car, but he caught me by the elbow. Within the next second I could hear Kenji making his way out. I snapped my head toward him, "Stay in the car Kenji."

A retort died in his throat and he grumbled a bit as he got back in. I turned back toward Kenshin. The expression on his face spoke volumes. I raised my hand to stop any words from tumbling out of him. "You've known about all of this for maybe an hour. Don't say or do anything you'll regret."

"You mean, don't say or do anything you don't want me to." His voice was sarcastic and edging on cruel.

I sighed a bit defeated. "Despite what you may remember Kenshin, I know you better than you think."

"I've changed." His voice softened but it wasn't exactly friendly as he let go of my elbow.

"I'm sure you have," I said. "But that doesn't mean you're a different person. You'll torture yourself about anything hurtful you say."

He visibly froze. It was most likely that anything he had been mentally preparing to say had just died with my comment. It was better this way.

I felt a sad smile tug on my lips. "You were nothing if not a brooder."

In his stunned state I made my quick escape. I had too much to sort in my head. I wasn't about to lash out at fifteen year old wounds in the parking lot of a middle school. I pulled out of the parking lot and only allowed myself to glance momentarily at the Kenshin's figure in my rearview mirror.

Kenji was suspended for three days after the stunt he pulled at the dance. I tried getting the real story out of him, but there was no budging him. Teenagers were too stubborn for their own good. It also didn't help that he inherited my stubbornness too.

I really should have stayed home for the three days Kenji was suspended, but between my lack of vacation days and Kenji nearly shoving me out the door to go to work, I barely had a choice.

As I typed up an email I heard a light tap on my door. I looked up from my work to see Tsubame peeking into my office. I smiled up at the shy new receptionist. "Can help you with something Tsubame?"

She nodded. "There's someone here to see you."

"A student? You can send them in."

She shook her head. "No, it's not a student. He said he's family. A redhead?"

I let out a sigh. What was Kenji doing here? He gets suspended from the middle school, so he visits the high school? I stood from my desk and passed Tsubame on my way out to the hallway. "Thank you Tsubame. Now let me go yell at my son."

As I walked down the halls of the administrative offices, I heard Tsubame quietly question to herself. "Son?"

I really couldn't blame her for not recognizing Kenji. Tsubame was new and didn't know I even had a son, let alone a grown one. I continued down the hall and made my way into where the receptionist desk was. I could see from the window leading into the main hallway the back of the head of messy read hair. I sighed and walked out into the main hall.

"Kenji, what on earth are you doing here? I told you to call for emergencies." I said to his slumped form. My eyes widened when I realized that this was not my son. "Kenshin?"

Kenshin looked up at me from his seat, then stood up. "Hi Kaoru."

"What are you doing here? How do you even know I work here?" My mind was spinning.

"I actually went by your house." He admitted.

"You did what?" My voice was louder than I intended. He looked slightly taken aback by my tone.

He glanced sideways to a few students that were milling around the halls and leaned forward whispering, "Is there somewhere we can go to talk privately?"

I shook myself out of my stupor. He was right. What was I doing talking to my ex-boyfriend who I had a drama-filled history with in the presence of students and coworkers? I wordlessly motioned for him to follow. The walls in my office weren't exactly soundproof, and Yumi who occupied the office next to me was a bit of a gossip. I led us outside toward the parking lots. It was late enough that no students would be out, and it was early enough that no one was leaving for lunch.

I turned toward Kenshin. Standing here, in the parking lot of a high school brought back memories of our carefree teenage days. That felt like three lifetimes ago now. We were two different people now. We weren't Kenshin and Kaoru anymore.

"So you went by my house?"

Kenshin nodded. "And got an earful from Kenji when he opened the door."

I raked my fingers through my bangs. "Look, I'm sorry about how he's acting. I swear, he's a good kid."

"I know. He's the most righteous fourteen year old I've ever met." Kenshin gave a soft smile.

I couldn't help responding to his smile in kind. "I think that's the first time you haven't scowled at me since I dropped that huge bomb on you."

His smile faltered. "I'm sorry. It's just... I don't know. I feel like I don't have excuses."

I shook my head. "You don't need excuses. You've done nothing wrong."

"Kenji would beg to differ." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I gave myself the weekend to think about everything. I didn't want to rush to judgment and regret what I said to you for the rest of my life."

I let out a nervous laugh. "It's Tuesday Kenshin. You have yourself more than a weekend."

"Well, it was a lot to absorb and process." He took in what looked like a steadying breath. His eyes locked with mine and they appeared resolved. "I'm upset with you."

My brows furrowed. Upset? I was expecting furious, livid, enraged. But upset? That's what a disappointed parent said to a child. I would know, I've used the 'upset' card on Kenji more than once.

"You made this monumental decision without me. You completely shifted the way my life would have unfolded." Each declaration from him was like a battering ram to my gut. But I kept quiet and let him have his say -he deserved at least that much. "But Kenji was right. He spent the better part of an hour telling me everything I did wrong and I couldn't deny it. You're not the only one to blame, so am I."

I shook my head, I needed to stop the self-deprecating attitude he's always had. "Kenji doesn't know the whole story. I don't see how this is at all anything you had in your control. You're well within your rights to be angry with me and hate me."

"That's the thing Kaoru." His voice saying my name rang through my ears. Even after all these years, only he could say my name that way. "I don't hate you. I still love you. I never stopped."

My hands flew to my lips to keep in my gasp, but my eyes widened and began to water with tears. "You don't have to say these things Kenshin. I expected you to move on. You don't have to pretend now that Kenji is in the picture."

He shook his head and approached me slowly. His hands delicately took my wrists and pull them away from my mouth. He leaned his forehead against mine while his eyelids slid shut. "I tried moving on. I was even engaged at one point. Tomoe, she was perfect in every way a person could be. She was another doctor on staff at the first hospital I worked at. I thought I loved her. We planned on getting married. But a few months before the ceremony we called it off. She said that she suspected there was someone else. And I couldn't deny it. Because I was still thinking about you and hoping you would change your mind. You weren't the only one waiting Kaoru, I was too. I was waiting for the call where you said you wanted me back and you would let me back into your life."

"But you didn't try to contact me." My voice trembled. The revelation that Kenshin had been engaged to be married was something I should have expected, but couldn't deny that it hurt. I've had no man touch me since the last time I had been with Kenshin, but he had moved on. Then again, I had the reminder of my feelings for Kenshin by my side everyday -I even changed its diaper and took it to school. "It was so easy for you to walk away."

"No, it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I just thought you finally came to your senses and realized how you're too good for me."

"It's the other way around Kenshin. I'm not good enough for you." I confessed to what I had figured out years ago as a teen.

His next words took my breath away and so did his actions. "You're perfect."

Kenshin released my wrists and cradled my face within his hands. He tilted forward and his lips were swift as they pressed against mine. A flood of emotions broke through as the reservoir I kept of pent up feelings crashed through. My arms wrapped around him as my body responded to old habits. He tilted his head a bit to kiss me fully as his tongue traced the edge of my lips. I inwardly smiled when I parted my lips a bit to give him access and he let out a small groan. That small groan told me that Kenshin hadn't changed that much, it was something he did at eighteen and still did at thirty-three.

We finally pulled away gasping for breath. How was it that kissing him felt like we were picking up right where we left off, when in reality we were in very different places now?

"God, I've wanted to do that for years now." He planted feather light kiss on the corner of my eye and whispered into my ear. "Why didn't you tell me Kaoru?"

I knew exactly what he was talking about. "You had your life in front of you. You didn't need all of this messing it up."

"You're right. I had my whole life in front me, and I walked away from it when I didn't fight for you. And you're right. I didn't need all of this messing it up, but I would have wanted it to." He sighed and then enveloped me in his arms. I haven't felt this safe since the last time he held me. "You must feel something for me too, or you wouldn't still be wearing this."

His fingers traced the line of the silver necklace around my neck -the one I hadn't taken off since before Kenji was born. I pulled away from him slightly. I felt vulnerable with him knowing I kept the necklace, like I was incapable for letting go. But his embrace kept me within arm's length. He followed the silver chain down to the locket the rested between my breasts. He pulled it out and turned it within his fingers.

He seemed to contemplate the locket for a long moment. His voice was low and breathy when he finally voiced his thoughts. "I'm afraid of what I'll find in here."

Oh god. It was obvious to me that I would have had a difficult time moving on, but Kenshin didn't know. It would actually make sense if I found someone to help me raise Kenji, but the thought for another man acting as our son's father was too strange to consider.

I took the locket from his grasp and pried it open. I turned it so that he could see the two small pictures within it. Both were old and I hadn't the heart to change them. It just proved that my feelings were frozen fourteen years ago.

Kenshin seemed to instantly recognize the picture he had filled the one side with when giving it to me. It was cutout from a photo booth strip that we took at a carnival when we first started dating. The other was new to him. His finger traced around the small picture of me holding Kenji right after he was born. A small tuft of red hair was on Kenji's head as he slept soundly in my arms with his small hand wrapped around my finger. My hair was disheveled, my face tired but with a smile, and I was wearing my hospital gown. It wasn't exactly the most faltering picture of me.

"Beautiful." Kenshin whispered out.

I smiled, "He was, and still is. All the nurses kept telling me how handsome he was."

"Not just him." He looked up from the picture at me. "I don't think I've seen you happier. I wish I could have been there."

I laughed nervously, "I don't know. It wasn't exactly a pretty picture with me screaming and cursing at the doctors. Also, Kenji was determined for a dramatic entry by having me go into labor three weeks before his due date."

I pulled away from him fully. Although it felt like home within his arms, it also felt like I was encroaching on a place that wasn't mine. Not anymore.

Kenshin then reached for my hand. His thumb stoked the back of my palm. When I looked into his face, he looked contemplative as he stared down at our joined hands. It seemed like he was trying to make a decision. I was mildly startled when he asked the same question from a few nights ago, "If you could do everything over again, would you?"

I bit my lip thinking my response over. Then I asked, "Are you a doctor?"

He seemed confused by my question when he looked back up at me, but answered anyways. "Yes."

"Then I don't know. If you told me you were in a miserable job that you hated, I would go back in time so we can make this decision together. But you became exactly what you wanted to be."

"Would it help if I said I was an unsuccessful doctor?" He attempted.

"You're unsuccessful?" I raised a brow. How was that even possible? Kenshin was driven if anything.

He sighed, "No, I'm doing fine for myself."

I laughed at his admission. "You haven't changed Kenshin."

"Does that mean your feelings haven't changed? Would you be willing to give me a second chance?" The expression on his face was identical to the one he had when he first asked me out in high school. "I have permission to take you to dinner."

"Permission?" I set aside Kenshin's crazy notion that he was somehow at fault for my decisions.

"From Kenji." He clarified. "Then again, he did threaten to castrate me if I made you cry."

I groaned and covered my eyes with my hand in embarrassment. "Aside from punching the other student and threatening you with genital mutilation, he really isn't an angry kid."

"I know." He chuckled. "I was there when he punched the kid. I know why he did it."

I peeked between my fingers up at him. "You do?"

"If Kenji didn't punch the little punk I probably would have." He frowned, "He made some derogatory comments."

I pulled my hand completely away from my face and furrowed my brows. "The boy's a teenager. Seventy percent of the comments out of his mouth are derogatory."

He sighed, "Derogatory comments about you Kaoru."

"What?" I tossed the thought around and laughed. "I work in a public high school. I've heard it all. Kenji needs to turn a blind ear or he's going to have a tough time next year when he starts high school."

"The phrase is 'turn a blind eye,' and you have to put yourself in his shoes. His classmates were talking about how hot you are and how they wanted to take you for a spin."

"Wait, what?" I froze at his words. "It's not about how old and gross I am?"

He raised a brow. "Old and gross? I'm pretty sure that's the opposite of how they describe you. I think the term MILF was tossed around."

"But I'm..."

"Still the prettiest girl I've ever known?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm a mom!"

He laughed, "I'm pretty sure that what the M in MILF stands for."

"No wonder Kenji never wanted me to pick him up from school." I groaned and slumped down in the bench next to us. "I knew that dress was too short."

"Which dress?" He sat next to me.

"The one I wore to the dance."

"You could only see your knees Kaoru." He laughed. "I was hoping you would wear it on our date."

"You're a little too observant of my hemline Kenshin." I frowned at him and narrowed my eyes. "And I didn't agree to dinner yet."

The look he gave me made it seem like I kicked his puppy. "So no to a second chance?"

"It's not my place to give you second chances. If anything, I should be asking you for one."

"Are you going to?" He tilted his head to look at me. "Ask me for a second chance?"

I bit my lip. I had no right to. I made my bed years ago and I have been sleeping in it. But here he was. After years of wondering if he would come and get me. And now, he was asking me out on a date as if we didn't have a truckload of complicated history.

I wondered if I would survive through another episode of the Kenshin-Kaoru chronicles. "But you're only visiting right? It'll only be harder if it's temporary."

"I'm not looking for temporary Kaoru." He said. "I'm seeing this as the fates stepping in because I just moved here a month ago."

I thought back to why he was at the odd couple's ball to begin with. "With your niece? How do you even have a niece? You have no siblings."

"She's not really a niece. Do you remember Genzai, the university doctor that took me under his wing? She's his granddaughter and she's been living with him since her parents died. I've pretty much seen her grow up." He shrugged, "He threw out his back and Ayame really wanted to go to the dance, so I said I would go."

"So you moved here with them?"

"Sort of. Doctor Genzai was headhunted by the university hospital here to start an experimental nerve regeneration clinic. And he poached me before he left." He explained.

"I have no idea what you just said. But I'm going to take that as Genzai lured you here with bigger salary." I smirked up at him.

He shook his head, "No, it was actually a pay cut. He just told me what city it was in. I was packed and ready within a week."

The confused look on my face caused him to smile. Well, at least I amused him.

"You're here. That's why." He grinned, "And I'm not going to lie, I was hoping to run into you somewhere. Maybe you would get into a minor accident and stumble into my emergency room needing some stitches or something."

I bit back a smirk. "You wanted me to get into an accident?"

"A minor accident." He amended, "Maybe a cut finger on a kitchen knife. If memory serves me we right, that's bound to happen sooner or later."

I rolled my eyes and ignored his jab at my culinary skills. "Didn't you just say you worked in an experimental clinic and not the emergency room?"

"What, you think a patient with the name Kaoru Kamiya gets admitted to my hospital I don't find out and go running?"

I laughed, Kenshin really hadn't changed. There was something still mischievous and boyish about him still. I worried that I wasn't the girl he remembered. I took a steadying breath in. I needed to stop thinking about how any second chance would crash and burn in disaster. And if Kenshin was going to dump me because I wasn't who he remembered me to be, that was his right. He deserved to have his chance dumping me. God knows I did it to him and made a mess of things.

My train of the thought was broken when I heard the jarring sound of the school bell signaling the beginning of the next period. I quickly glanced down at my watch. "Oh crap. I need to get back to work."

"Sorry, I shouldn't have bothered you at work." He apologized guiltily.

I stood and shook my head at him. "It was worth it." Seeing the look on his face, I couldn't help what I did next. I leaned down and placed a tentative kiss on his lips. I pulled back and smiled, "I got to make out with the hottest guy from the dance. It feels like the movie 'Sixteen Candles.'"

He chuckled. "I'm available whenever you need a Molly Ringwald moment."

I stood back up and pointed toward the building. "But I really do need to get back."

He glanced at the doors and smiled. "So you did become a teacher like you always wanted."

I shook my head. "I'm not a teacher. I would have had to get my masters for that, and that's time I just don't have."

"So what do you do?" He asked.

"I'm a guidance counselor." I said grinning. Even though it wasn't what I saw myself doing when I was in college, there was no denying that I loved my job.

Kenshin raised a brow. "You're a guidance counselor?" His voice was incredulous. But I couldn't blame him, I was a teen pregnancy -maybe not the best role model for hormonal adolescents.

"Trust me, the irony isn't lost on me." I shrugged, "I should be a cautionary tale, but my life didn't end up completely terrible. So instead I'm here to make sure the stupid decision kids make don't set them on a track of destitution."

"Stupid decision huh?" At his statement I looked down at his face which seemed hurt by my comment.

I rolled my eyes at him. "It was an incredibly stupid decision Kenshin. We had sex without even a condom." He looked like he expected me to say something else. So I told him the truth. "But I don't regret it. I got Kenji out of the deal, and he's the best thing to ever happen to me."

He smiled, "I get the feeling that I'm going to be jealous of how much you love him."

I didn't deny what he was saying. I glanced down at my watch, "Okay, so I really do need to get going."

Before I could leave he grasped my hand. I faced him fully as he asked again. "Dinner? I won't hold you to anything more than that. You can decide if I'm worth your while then."

"I already know the answer to that." I smiled down at him. "How about Friday? At seven?"

His lips tugged down a bit, "Friday? How about tonight?"

I laughed at his impatience, and the fact that what he just said was the exact same response he gave me when he first asked me out when I was sixteen. That's when I realized maybe there was still a chance for us. Maybe the Kenshin-Kaoru chronicles weren't quite over. Maybe I was getting my second chance.

xXx

A/N: In my opinion, Kenshin has nothing to blame for what happened between the two. If he had shown up after Kaoru broke up with him, it would be bit stalkerish right? But these are heightened emotions. Also Kenshin is all about the guilt. Would it really be him if he didn't shoulder some of the misguided blame? Let me know what you think!


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